The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-07
After Many Narrow Escapes in Southern
Towns, He Is Shot and Mortally Wounded
by Man Who Took Him by Surprise.
The Anniyersary ola Unique Court-Mar-
tial Held Inside the Walls of Libby.
Annoyances to Which Faithful and Honest
Consuls Are Subjected-Discovery of
Scandal in the Treasury Department.
GAMBLER DORIAN.

Has Slain n Dozen of His Enemies.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Aug. CT notice" said gem
tIeman who formerly lived in Tennessee, THAT
the dispatches from Fort Smith. Ark, state that
a celebrated gambler named Doran had been re-
Gently wounded in a row there. and that his re-
covery wac doubtful This man Doran has a
history. His full name is Stephen Alexander
Doran He was born in Kentucky. and was
about 20 years of age when the war broke out.
He served as a private in Morgan's command
early in the war, and afterwards commanded .
company OF cavalry. He WAS an ideal cavalry
man. After the war he went into business in
Atlanta, Ga. where he remained for few
years, and at Last. through the fault of his part
ner he failed HIS creditors had him arrested
under the Georgia debtors law and the sheriff
started TO take him to JAIL On the way to
prison they stopped in drugstore and went
into a Darkroom for some soda-w alter. Doran
locked the door, drew six-shooter from his
back pocket, and forced his captors to throw up
their hands He then took pair of handouts
from them and fastened them together. walked
out and left them there. From Atlanta he pro-
ceeded to Memphis. Tenn, where he
fell among bad associates and into bad
habits. Two Georgia officers went to Memphis
and attempted to get requsition for him from
the Governor of Tennessee. Failing in this, they
started about connecting q scheme to kidnap
him. He heard of it and at consulted
lawyer, the Hon. Casey Young. who advised him
that the officers had no authority TO take him
back. He then notified them that II they made
any attempt to capture him he would kill both,
and advised them to leave town. They left
Subsequently he got into a difficulty with COL
Francis E. Whitfield, q wealthy resident Of
which was that Doran put card IN the Memphis
Avalanche denouncing Colonel Whitfield and
his son. Capt Edwin Whitfield. highly re-
spected and courageous young man. The fol-
lowing morning young Whitfield, accompanied
by a friend, went to Doran's room and knocked
at the door. Doran was still in bed, and suppos-
ing it to be a servant arose and opened the door.
On discovering Whitfield and his friend. he COM
pretended the situation at once and opened the
door wide enough to admit Whitfield, and in
stantly closed it before he could be followed by
his friend. Whitfield had pistol in his hand
and Doran sprang for his. which was under his
pillow. Seven eight shots were fired in
rapid succession. When the door was burst open
by the police Whitfield was found dead shot
through the heart. and hit in rwo or three other
places. Doran unframed. Whitfield had
large and influential family connections and
stood high in public estimation. while Doran was
a stranger, and his associations were such to
give him little social standing or influence. There
was great excitement and talk of lynching Dorian,
but he met the danger colly; giving notice that
If the sheriff would furnish him with arms he
would undertake to repulse any assault that
might be made the Jail He remained in
prison without effort to get bail for some two
or three weeks. He went promptly to trial be-
fore the Criminal Court of Memphis, and was
defended by the Hon. Casey Young and George
CAN'T. and was prosecuted with great vigor by
Edwin NJ Yerger and j. F. Sale, then two Of
the most distinguished criminal lawyers in Ten
nessee. After an exciting trial of twenty seven
days, interpersed with many dramatic incidents,
the jury rendered a verdict of acquttal without
leaving their seats, the plea of self-defense re-
lied upon having been fully made Az
Doran left the courtroom after his acquttal and
walking down the street beside his counsel,
Casey Young. Rayner Whitfield. a younger
brother Of Edwin, took post in drug
store across the street and leveled dou-
ble- barreled shotgun upon him. but was prevent
ed from firing it for the moment by reason Of
Mr.. Young being between him and Doran. Be-
fore he could get an unobstructed shot police
officer had seized his gun. Doran, undisturbed
by this, continued down the street with Mr..
Young, until he had reached the steps leading
to Youngis Office, where he encountered Col
Eugene Whitfield, another brother OF Edwin,
who, the moment he saw Doran coming drew
pistol. Before he could present it Doran had
Colts revolver leveled directly in his face. Mr.
Young again stepped between the contestants
and directed Doran to go on into his Office AZ
ter these incidents Doran's counsel advised him
to leave the city at once, as if he remained he
would either be killed by Whitfeld's brothers
or be compelled to kill them. This he refused
to do. declaring his purpose to remain, and il
forced to do it to fight the entire
Whitfield family, either singly collect
lively. Finally, however, he was prevailed
upon to leave. end some months later he went
to Texas.
Soon after his arrival there he became
involved in another tragic affair. Two police
men entered his room and attempted to arrest
a sick friend who was stopping with him. Doran
finding they had warrant, ordered them to
leave the room. A fight ensued at close quar-
tiers with six-shooters. at the end of which the
two policemen were both dead. while Doran was
again untouched. For this he arrested and
remained in jail for nearly year, but upon trial
was again acquitted on the ground of selfdefense-
Some months after this he became involved in
a desperate street fight in Shreveport. La, with
a noted gamble and desperate Of that locality.
In this encounter Dorau shot his antagonist
through the head, killing him instantly. while
as usual three shots fred by the other failed to
touch him. He again tried and acquitted.
Subsequent to this he made his appearance
at Malvern, Ark, a town situated the
Iron Mountain railroad. Here it said he
was the leader of two three gamblers
and Adventures who were plying their
vocation to the injury OF the town.
They were accordingly, in Arkansas style.
notified to leave This Doran refused to
do and deied the legal authorities of the town al
weas the citizens. Finally mob gathered to
sxpel him. and his friends by force il necessary.
But Doran arming himself with a dou BILE barreled
shotgun and brace OF six-shooters defied his
assailants. Finding they were unable TO cope